Wire-fence stretcher.



N0 825,906. 4 PATENTED JULY17, 1906. M. E. HOBART.

WIRE FENCE STRETCH'ER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5, 1906.

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MAROENE E. HOBART, OF CHESTERFIELD, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-FENCE STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 17, 1906.

Application filed Tanuary 5. 1906. Serial No. 294,763.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARGENE E. HOBART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chesterfield, in the county of Macoupin and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l/VireFence Stretchers, of which the following is such a full, clear, andexact description as will enable those skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use my said invention.

My invention relates to devices for stretching woven-wire fence.

The purposes of my invention are to provide a stretcher of compact andrigid construction adapted to stretch fence of different heights and soconstructed and arranged that the pull on the fence will be central tothe fence, to provide means for firmly clamping the fence duringtheoperation of stretching, to provide a lever of improved construction formoving the stretcher-bar step by step, to provide means to preventbackward movement of the stretcher-bar, and provide means to prevent theslipping of the clamping device.

With these ends in view my invention consists in the novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts shown in the drawings heretoannexed and to which reference is hereby made and hereinafterparticularly described, and finally recited in the claim.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a top planand side elevation of the complete device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged partiallongitudinal section on the line 3 3 of ig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlargedpartial vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is anenlarged horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference-numerals designate like parts in the several views.

A bar 1, preferably of steel, has integral box-shaped guides 2, in whicha ratchet-bar 3 slides freely. On each side of the bar 3 are depressedratchet-teeth 4, the points of which lie somewhat below the surface ofthe bar, so that in sliding through the guides 2 the teeth 4 will notrub on the guides. A awl 5 is mounted to oscillate in a slot 7 in t ebar 1, and a spring 6, having one end secured to the bar, acts againstthe pawl to hold the point of the pawl in engagement with the teeth 4 ofthe bar 1. On the bar 1 are fixed projecting pins 8. A clevis 9 and achain 10 serve to connect the bar 1 with any suitable immovable object,such as a tree or a post planted in the ground.

Parallel bars 11, preferably of wood, are connected by a suitable numberof bolts 12, the number of bolts varying according to the length of thebars. Nuts 13 or other securing devices on the bolts 12 keep the boltsin place on the bars. Levers 14 have a hinge connection with the bolts12 and have cams 15, which bear on plates 16 on the bars 11, so thatwhen the levers lie approximately parallel to the bars the bars will bepressed together, so as to firmly clamp the fence between them. On theadjacent faces of the bars 11 are secured alternate strips 17 ofcorrugated metal, separated by a space 18. When the bars 11 are pressedtogether, the strips 17 hearing on the strands of the fence 19 cause aslight bending of the strands in the space 18, as shown in Fig. 5, whichprevents slipping of the strips on the strands. A yoke 20 fits aroundthe bars 11 and is kept in place by a removable pin 21 passing throughholes in the yoke and secured by a cotter-pin 22 or equivalent securingdevice.

A handle-holder 23, preferably of steel, has integral prongs 24 parallelto each other and at such distance apart that the bar 3 may slidebetween the prongs. The holder 23 also has an integral finger 25 betweenthe prongs 24 and adapted to engage with the teeth 4 of the bar 3. Italso has a socket 26, adapted to receive a wooden handle 27, fitting inthe socket.

When the lever is in position for use, the prongs 24 rest against one ofthe pins 8 and the tooth 25 is in engagement with the teeth 4, as shownin Figs. 1 and 3. If, then, the free end of the lever be moved to theleft, the tooth 25 will push against the teeth 4 of the bar 3 to slidethe bar to the left, and as the bar slides to the left the point of thepawl 5 will engage with the teeth on the other side of the bar toprevent backward movement of the bar.

It will be seen that this construction and arrangement of the partsgives a very powerful leverage for moving the bar so as to effectivelystretch a long section of wire fence.

It is desirable in practice that the bar 3 be so connected withthe bars11 as to exert a central pull on the fence which is being stretched.

In order to adjust the position of thebar 3 on the bars 11 according tothe height of the fence, it is only necessary to withdraw the pin 21,set the yoke 20 in the desired position, and insert the pin through themesh of the IIO fence and through the holes in the yoke 20,.

so that the pin 21 supported onzone of the strands 19, will prevent theyoke 20 from sliding downward on the bars 11.

The teeth 4 of the bar 3 being depressed below the surface of the barleave along the side of the bar smooth surfaces 28, which slide incontact with the smooth inner walls In ;an apparatus for stretching-wire fence thecombination of a guide-hariprovidedwith integral guidesand projecting pins, a pawl mounted on said bar, a stretcher-bar havingteeth on both sides and adapted to slide in the guides on saidguide-bar, and a lever having prongs fitting around said stretcher-barand engaging with the pins on said guide-bar and also having a fingerengaging with the teeth on one side of said stretcher-bar, the 'teeth onthe opposite side of said stretcherbar being engaged by said pawl.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed myzname at ChesterfieldIllinois this 27rth dayof July, 1905.

' MA-ROENE =E. HOBART.

Witnesses:

EDWIN BANKS, EDWIN TowsE.

